Realising the aim of your field of study
By Marjorie Henry, Contributor

Students of Jamaica College confer during a National Schools' Debate match last year. - Ian Allen Photo

THE SELECTION of a topic for your field study, deciding on the title and aim for it, provided the content for my last lesson. The answers for the review questions given at the end of the lesson were all in the lesson. You should not have experienced any difficulty in finding them. However, if you did, my suggestion to you is that you read the lesson again.

In today's lesson, I will begin by focusing on the assignment given last week, that of listing the areas you should concentrate on for a given topic and aim. This is necessary in order to realise the aim of your study. Before doing this however, you must do some background reading on the topic. Use this information as a guide in deciding on what to do in your study. Most importantly, you must make a note of the books and articles read and the website visited since you will need that information for your bibliography, a requirement for the study. I shall use the examples of titles and aims given in the last lesson to explain the focus of today's lesson.

Title (a): 'What are the factors that have influenced the location of the bauxite plant in Halse

Hall, southern Clarendon?'

Aim: 'To identify and describe the factors that have influenced the location of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall, southern Clarendon.'

AREAS TO CONCENTRATE ON IN THE RESEARCH WOULD INCLUDE: ­

The availability of bauxite deposits

• Proximity to mining areas
• Proximity to port for import and export
• The availability of land for the construction and expansion of the plant
• The nature of the terrain

Title (b): 'How has the operation of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall, impacted on that community?'

Aim: 'To investigate the ways in which the operation of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall has impacted on the community of Halse Hall.

Your background reading would have informed you that the operation of the bauxite plant could have both a negative and positive impact on a community. Your study therefore, should concentrate on both aspects.

AREAS TO CONCENTRATE ON WOULD INCLUDE: ­

• Providing employment
• Development of the infrastructure in the community
• Providing some utilities to the community
• Involvement in community projects
• Involvement in educational institutions
• Pollution ­ air, water and noise

YOUR INVESTIGATION

In as much as you have listed areas to concentrate on in your study, it is your investigation that will substantiate them. You may find, for example, in this latter topic, that there is no negative impact on the community or this is reduced significantly. However, should you find that there is a problem, your study could go on to examine possible solutions.

Once you have decided on the focus of your study, you would now have to consider how you will get the information you need, that is, DATA COLLECTION. There are several techniques involved. Here are some: ­

• Conducting interviews
• Administering questionnaires
• Recording observations made in the field
• Using secondary sources.

In the next lesson, I will share with you information on these techniques.

How about your chosen topic for your field study?

Was your title stated as a question?

Have you decided on your aim?

What are the areas that you will concentrate on in order to realise your aim?

* Marjorie Henry is Geography teacher at Glenmuir High School in Clarendon.